


Friendship

by Sangerin



Category: Malory Towers Series - Blyton
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Special Friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-18
Updated: 2010-03-18
Packaged: 2017-10-08 02:09:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/71603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sangerin/pseuds/Sangerin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"She was in danger, Miss Potts, I had to save her!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friendship

"Darrell Rivers!" exclaimed Miss Potts, just as soon as she was able to speak. "What in heavens name did you think you were doing?"

Darrell gamely met the eyes of her housemistress. She pushed her hair back from her face, leaving a smudge on her cheek as she did so. "She was in danger, Miss Potts, I had to save her! Surely you understand..." As much courage as she had, it finally began to fail when Miss Potts fixed her with a stern eye.

"I am fully aware of the danger Bill was in. But the fire engines were on their way and she would not have been harmed."

"But how can you be certain?" asked Darrell, earnestly. Miss Potts schooled her expression. She knew just how worried she and Miss Peters had been, watching in horror as the flames leapt from inside the stable. Miss Potts had just managed to restrain the horse-loving Miss Peters from rushing into the stables to free the horses, when both mistresses saw Wilhelmina Robinson do just that. Amidst the yells of the staff and the girls, the horses had burst from the stable. But no Bill followed the horses. With a shriek, Darrell Rivers, an ornament of Bill's own form, had broken free from the prefects who were doing their best to keep some order among the girls. Darrell had run into the stables, and at that moment, had anyone asked her, Miss Potts would have answered that her heart had stopped.

Standing in front of her, Darrell spluttered, and Miss Potts was abruptly pulled back to the present. "Off to San with you this minute, Darrell. You need a good bath to get rid of that soot, and then some time in bed to clear your lungs."

Darrell looked mutinous, but she asked only, "How is Bill?"

Miss Potts relented, and smiled kindly. "She's in San already. I'm sure Matron will tell you how she is once you get there yourself. Now, off you go. Sally and Alicia," she called, to two of Darrell's friends, who were hovering anxiously, "Go with Darrell, please."

With Sally's arm around Darrell's shoulders, and Alicia's around Darrell's waist, the three girls walked slowly up the hill towards the school. Miss Potts watched, relieved that this was how the crisis had ended.

Darrell had lurched out of the stables, coughing and spluttering, and half-carrying, half-dragging Bill with her, and many of the people watching them had been unsure whether Bill was even alive. But she was, and at some point in the future, after Darrell had been well and truly punished for her disobedience and had promised that she would never do such a thing again, Miss Potts would tell Mr and Mrs Robinson to whom it was that they owed their daughter's life.

Miss Potts turned back to look at the ruined stables, now well and truly doused by the firemen who had - if truth be told - turned up far too late to save anyone. "Thank God for Darrell Rivers," she murmured under her breath.


End file.
